Skeleton tower



2 sheets-sheet 1.

@lo Model.) l

J. S. ADAMS.

SKELBTON TOWER. d No. 297,337. Patented Apr. 22, 1884.

.(No'Model.) 2 sneets-sneet 2. J. S. ADAMS.

SKELBTQN'TOWBB. N0. 297,337. Patented Apr. 22, 1884.

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- means of the devices which are the subject of Ntra raras Artnr trici-31.

JOHN S. ADAMS, OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE DETROIT IRON TOWER COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

SK'ELETON TOWER.

SPECIEIATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,337, dated April 22, 1884.

Application tiled May-31, i853. Renewed March 17, 18H4. (No model.)

T (IZZ 1071/0772, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN S. ADAMS, of Elgin, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skeleton Iron Towers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this spec-iticatioir.

This invent-ion relates to the class of skeleton iron towers in which the uprights, or the lowermost section of such uprights, are themselves of a composite skeleton order of struct-k ure.

The object of the invention is to provide in such members ot' the tower means for attaching the braces or girts thereto between the ends and in the axis of said upright members, so that the resulting strain will be more uni- 4i'ormly distributed throughout all parts of said members and additional strength thereby given to the tower.

The invention is herein illustrated in connection with composite base-sections ofa tower in which horizontal girts join the middle point ot' said upright sc ctions, and in which the lowermost diagonal braces ot' the tower have the same points of attachment as the gir-ts, instead ot' running to the lower extremities of the uprights, in order to attord unobstructed passage beneath the tower. The invention is, however, adapted to other than the lowermost tower-sections when the uprights thereot' are ofthe composite order referred to, and when it is desired to connect girts or braces therewith between the ends ot' said upright sections.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary view, in side elevation, ofthe base ot' a skeleton iron tower in which the lowermost sections of the uprights are ot' the compound structure herein referred to, and in which the horizontal gilt and diagonal brace are con-` nected to the middle ot' said base-uprights by this invention. Fig. 2 is a modification in some respects of' the construction shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section ot` the compound uprights, taken immediately above l the point of attachmentprovided for the girts and braces. Fig. 4 is a view similar to that ot' Fig. 3, theonly difference being that the girts themselves are of simpleinstead ot' compound construction. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the axial point ot' attachment in the compound member, taken in the plane of .fr x, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a View partly in vertical section of a moditied construction, in which the object is to make use of the same couplings which unite the sub-members ofthe compound upright for the attachment of the radial ties which support the axial connection, instead of using separate couplings, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 1t. Fig. 7 is a modified construction having the same object in view. Figs. 8 and 9 areA plan views of the radial ties and their connections, corresponding, espectively, with those shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

AA are compoundsections of the toweruprights. Said compound sections consist of upright sub-members a a, coupled together by suitable connections, c', and made to converge at the opposite ends of the compound section, where they are secured in terminal castings, A A. care horizontal girts or ties located in the sides of' the compound upright, certain of said girts being removed in Fig. l, for the purpose of revealing the radial braces which support the axial attachment, constituting a feature ot' the present invention.

In Fig. l, C is acenter post arranged in the axis ot` the compound upright A, and supported by radial ties or braces c, connected with the submembers n, or with the couplings ct, in any'suitable manner. In Figs. 1, 3, and 4 the ties c are connected with said su b-members a by means ot'cast-yokes O', branched and apertured to admit the sub-members above and below the couplings a', as best shown in Fig. 1.

' C2 is a coupling, which is threaded to the top ofthe center post, C, and is branched and threaded to admit the several ties c. In the upper end ot' the coupling C, as shown in Fig. 5, is fitted a threaded nipple, C3, and to this nipple is applied the threaded cap C", having lugs c', to afford the desired attachment for the horizontal girts B and the diagonal braces D IOO by means of suitable bolts and clevises, band d, or other proper devices. Said center post, C, is preferably made to extend to the basecasting A', with which it is connected in any suitable manner, in order that the upward strain of the diagonal braces D, when tightened, shall be communicated to said base-casting, and shall not fall wholly upon the ties e and yokes C. The center post, C, is usually further supported by radial ties c2, connecting it with the sub-members a at any point or points below the middle of the upright, and usually at those points where the sub-members a are joined with each other by couplings and irts. g In connecting the axial attachment with the base-casting I prefer to employ the devices shown in Figs. l and 5, in which t-he pipe-section or post C terminates at the bottom in a cap, E, through which is inserted a bolt or rod, E', having a round head, e, within said cap, and adapted to enter the bore ol' the pipe C, as seen in Fig. 5, the lower end of said rod Efbeing threaded to tta tapped opening in the base-casting A. By this means the ver- Itical tension may be modified or adj usted readlyal'ter all other connections and adjustments ave been made. The rod E may obviously .'tcnd to the coupling C, it' prefered, said coupling being constructed or provided with a cap on its lower end corresponding with E, Fig. 5, to support the head ot' the bolt.

Instead of employinga single post C, reaching to the base-casting A', the construction shown in Fig. 2 may be used, wherein tiebraces or legs c, corresponding in number with the number of sides in the compound structure A, descend and diverge from the I axial point of attachment to be supported to 't0 9, inclusive, may be employed.

lower points on the submembers a, where they may connect with the latter-as, i'or example, by couplings c, placed immediately beneath the couplings al', which unite adjacent sections ot" the sub-members a. By means of either of these constructions an attachment is afforded in the axis of the compound upright A for the gi rts B and for the diagonal braces D, so that the strain imparted by said girts or diagonals l'alls more equally upon all t-he sub-members or parts of the compound uprights than would be the case it'said girts and diagonals were attached to either one of the said sub-members directly.

In order to avoid the use of the yokes C and to connect the radial ties c directly with the couplings a', the devices shown in Figs. 6 In these figures it is contemplated that the center post or other axial attachment shall be inserted alter the compound upright is otherwisc completed. In Figs. 6 and 8 the radial ties c are threaded into the couplings a', room being provided between the adjacent sub-members a a, as shown in Fig. 6, to allow the ties c to be run into the coupling a far enough to admit the introduction of the central coupling, C2, after which the said ties c are retracted from the couplings a', and are let into the branches of said coupling C2. A nut,

0*, is applied to each of the ties c, arranged to 7o bear against the end of each ol' the several branches of the coupling C?, by which the lCoupling C2 is brought into proper central position in the compound upright, and by which said ties (now becoming more properly struts) are given appropriate tension. In Figs. 7 and 9 the ties c are made in two parts, the shorter of which, as shown in these figures, consists of a nipple, c5, adapted to be run into the coupling a between the adjacent ends ot' the 8o sub-members a, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, and the parts ofthe ties are united by a union joint, G5, of any suitable construction.

. It desired, the cap CJl and the nipple C, Fig. 5, may be dispensed with by construct- 35 ing the lugs c directly on the coupling C2. The invention is, ot' course, applicable to compound members A having any number of sides and located in any position inthe tower.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a skeleton iron tower, the combina" tion, with t'he compound member A, ol' a part loca-ted and dulysupported in the axis ot' said member, and between the ends thereof, and adapted for the attachment ot' a girt or brace, 95 substantially as described.

2. In a skeleton iron tower, the combination, with the sub-members' a of the co pound member A, of radial sub-members c, and a coupling supported thereby, for the attachment of a girt or brace, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the compound upright A and diagonal brace D, the converging sub-members c, means for connecting said members with the diagonal brace, and means for resisting the upward strain of said diagonal brace upon the sub-members'c, substantially as described.

4.. In combination with the upright A and diagonal brace- D, the converging sub-mem bers c and a center-post, C, connected with the base-casting A', substantially as described..

5. In combination with the compound upright A, the converging sub-members c, center post, C, coupling C, and cap C", the latter constructed to afford attachment for the girt and diagonal, substantially as described.

6. In combination with the sub-members a and coupling a', Fig. 6, the central coupling, 12o C2, the threaded brace c, and nuts c", substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a compound member, A, the combination, with the centrally-supported coupling for a brace or girt, of a cap, E, and a headed bolt, E', threaded into the base-casting, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. ADAMS. Witnesses:

GEO. R. DUNHAM, JAMESv TODD. 

